TokenPost reporter
Charissa Echavez
Reporter
Stories by Charissa Echavez
- Australia investigates cryptocurrency schemes in international tax evasion crackdown
The Australian Tax Office (ATO), the country’s tax agency, is reportedly investigating 12 international tax avoidance schemes with cryptocurrency-related activities, The Sydney Morning Herald reported on Thursday.
· Regulation
- Think tank Avenir Suisse urges Switzerland to issue own cryptocurrency 'Franc Token'
One of Switzerland’s most influential think tanks Avenir Suisse released a report pushing the country’s central bank, the Swiss National Bank (SNB), to start issuing a national currency.
· Insights & Views
- Vancouver considers banning Bitcoin ATMs to avoid money laundering
Despite pioneering crypto ATMs in the world, Vancouver’s authorities are turning their backs against the vending machine, saying it is “an ideal money-laundering vehicle,” and its mayor has also suggested a complete b…
· Regulation
- Cryptocurrency firm Longfin, CEO face another SEC fraud charge
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has filed new fraud charges against fintech firm Longfin Corp. and its CEO Venkata S. Meenavalli.
· Regulation
- South Korea Post partners with Coinplug, NHN to apply blockchain tech
Korea Post, the national postal service of South Korea, wants to integrate blockchain technology to its billing system, local media outlet News1 Korea reported.
· Technology
- Crypto exchange Binance to introduce own GBP-pegged stablecoin within a few weeks
Leading cryptocurrency exchange Binance will reportedly issue its own stablecoin “in a matter of weeks to a month or two,” Bloomberg reported quoting the company’s Chief Financial Officer Wei Zhou.
· Business
- Facebook may debut cryptocurrency project this month: Report
Facebook will reportedly unveil its cryptocurrency project this month, allowing its employees to receive their salary in the form of the new coin, CNBC reported citing The Information.
· Business
- Japan crypto traders are underreporting $93M worth of income; tax authorities plan crackdown
Japanese tax authorities are planning to take action against entities underreporting their cryptocurrency-based profits, according to local news outlet Asahi Shimbun.
· Regulation
- Rakuten, Japan's largest railway JR East partner to offer cashless payments by 2020
Japanese e-commerce giant Rakuten Payment Inc. has teamed up with the country’s largest railway firm, East Japan Railway Company (JR East) to promote cashless payments.
· Business
- Former Mt. Gox CEO Mark Karpeles to serve as CTO of new blockchain tech venture in Japan
Mark Karpeles, the former CEO of now-defunct Bitcoin exchange Mt. Gox, will allegedly “start from zero” with his new blockchain cloud firm Tristan Technologies Co., where he will serve as the chief technology officer,…
· People
- Russian food retailer Dixy integrates Ethereum blockchain-based financial platform Factorin
Russia’s third-largest food retail network Dixy has integrated blockchain technology to its corporate finance system, Cointelegraph reported.
· Business
- South Korea's KEPCO teams up with local power suppliers to develop blockchain-based renewable energy certificates
South Korea’s largest power provider, Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO), has inked a deal with two local power suppliers to build a blockchain-based system for transacting Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs), …
· Technology
- Marshall Islands form development fund to establish its national cryptocurrency SOV
The Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) has created a non-profit organization to help the government establish, maintain, and implement the country’s national digital currency called the sovereign (SOV), according …
· Regulation
- Malaysia registers three cryptocurrency exchanges
The Securities Commission Malaysia (SC) has registered three new cryptocurrency exchanges, namely, Luno Malaysia, Sinergy Technologies, and Tokenize Technology.
· Regulation
- Blockchain tech would have been the key to faster regulatory response in 2008 global financial crisis: CFTC official
The chairman of the United States Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) J. Christopher Giancarlo believes blockchain technology would have made a difference to the regulators during the financial crash in 2008.
· People
- Apple to unveil new developer Cryptokit update on WWDC 2019
Apple will unveil a new developer update called Cryptokit at this year’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC).
· Business
- Bitfinex subsidiary Ethfinex Trustless launches blockchain-enabled OTC trading
Bitfinex-owned cryptocurrency exchange subsidiary Ethfinex Trustless has launched its new on-chain decentralized over-the-counter (OTC) trading feature.
· Technology
- TRON founder and BitTorrent CEO wins $4.57M bid to have charity lunch with Warren Buffett
Justin Sun, the founder of blockchain platform TRON and CEO of peer-to-peer file sharing protocol BitTorrent, revealed in a tweet that he will get a chance to eat private lunch with Warren Buffett after winning this y…
· People
- Bitcoin app Samourai Wallet secures $100K funding as it fully goes open source
Bitcoin app Samourai Wallet has managed to raise $100,000 in its first round of venture funding.
· Business
- Current blockchain tech implementations need to be replaced by 2021: Gartner
Leading research and advisory firm Gartner has predicted that 90% of blockchain technology currently used by enterprises need to be replaced by 2021 to remain “competitive, secure and avoid obsolescence.”
· Insights & Views
- Binance DEX to geoblock users from 29 countries; CEO clarifies Binance.org is barring users, not the blockchain
The Binance.org website, which is used to gain access to the Binance DEX trading platform, will begin blocking users based in 29 countries, according to the cryptocurrency exchange website’s terms of services.
· Business
- Fluree receives $4.7M in seed funding for blockchain tech
Blockchain app developer Fluree has raised $4.7 million in its first seed funding round led by 4490 Ventures with participation from Revolution’s Rise of the Rest Seed Fund, according to a press release posted by The …
· Business
- Perlin Network, ICC to establish Center of Future Trade for blockchain adoption in Singapore
Blockchain development firm Perlin Network and the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) will establish a Center of Future Trade (CoFT) with support from Enterprise Singapore, the country’s trade authority, Dr. Koh …
· Business
- UK's ARCHANGEL Project to secure national archives with blockchain, AI
The University of Surrey in the UK has announced that it is combining blockchain and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies to secure the integrity of digital government records of national video archives worldwide.
· Technology
- Here’s how you should write cryptocurrency terms according to the 2019 Associated Press Stylebook
New York-based news outlet the Associated Press (AP) revealed in a tweet that its latest edition of The Associated Press Stylebook and Briefing on Media Law has a dedicated section for cryptocurrencies.
· Regulation
- World Economic Forum forms blockchain policy council to address governance gaps
The World Economic Forum’s Center for the Fourth Industrial Revolution has formed six councils to work on new technology policy guidance.
· Regulation
- Cryto lending platform Cred to migrate LBA tokens to Binance Chain
Leading cryptocurrency exchange Binance has partnered with Cred, the leading platform for crypto lending and borrowing, to promote the decentralization of finance.
· Business
- Blockchain firm PLMP Fintech signs multi-million contract with Indonesia to improve its shipping industry
Singapore-based blockchain company PLMP Fintech will take part in a multi-million logistics project with the Indonesian government, according to a press release on May 29.
· Business
- Thai banks join hands to create blockchain network via country's Blockchain Community Initiative
The Bank of Thailand (BOT) announced that 22 Thai and foreign-bank branches have joined forces to create a blockchain network through the Thailand Blockchain Community Initiative (BCI), media news outlet Xinhua reported.
· Technology
- Blockchain technology is not a breakthrough: Bundesbank president
The president of Bundesbank, the central bank of Germany, is not convinced with blockchain technology, despite the fact that it is being widely adopted in other sectors.
· Insights & Views
- Coinfloor, Enumis team up to offer crypto-friendly current accounts
London-based bitcoin exchange Coinfloor has teamed up with Enumis, an electronic money institution, to offer bank-like accounts to firms handling cryptocurrencies.
· Business
- Blackstone-backed Mphasis teams up with blockchain startup Bitfury on new trade finance project
Mphasis, an Indian tech firm that is majorly owned by American private equity firm Blackstone Group LP, has teamed up with blockchain software developer Bitfury for a trade finance project, Reuters reported.
· Business
- Dubai Land Department, Mashreq Bank to develop blockchain-based mortgage platform
Dubai Land Department (DLD), a government department under the Executive Council of Dubai, has signed a license agreement with the UAE-based Mashreq Bank to launch a blockchain-based mortgage platform to modernize its…
· Technology
- Blockchain-based invoice exchange Crowdz raises $5.5M in Series A funding led by Barclays Bank, Bold Capital Partners
Blockchain-based trade finance startup Crowdz has raised $5.5 million in a Series A investment round to revolutionize the $9 trillion receivables market worldwide.
· Business
- Blockchain Capital welcomes BitGo founder and Facebook executive as new venture partner
Venture capital firm Blockchain Capital onboarded Facebook veteran and crypto entrepreneur Ben Davenport as its venture partner, CoinDesk reported.
· People
- Leading ocean carriers MSC, CMA CGM to join Maersk-IBM's shipping blockchain platform TradeLens
Mediterranean Shipping Co. (MSC) and CMA CGM, two of the biggest container shipping firms in the world, are set to join TradeLens, the blockchain-based digital shipping platform developed by Maersk and IBM.
· Technology
- South Korean government keeps an eye on cryptocurrency market following bitcoin price spike
The South Korean government is keeping a tight watch on the cryptocurrency market again after a pan-governmental meeting was held on Tuesday, according to local broadcasting station KBS World Radio.
· Regulation
- EOS retains top spot, Bitcoin climbs to 12th in China's latest cryptocurrency rankings
EOS has retained the top position in the latest update of China’s cryptocurrency ranking released on May 23, with Bitcoin climbing up to the 12th place.
· Insights & Views
- IOSCO seeks consultation on crypto-asset regulation
The International Organization of Securities Commission (IOSCO) is seeking feedback on a consultation paper published on Monday on regulating crypto-asset trading platforms (CTPs).
· Regulation
- ECB's Vitas Vasiliauskas talks about the pros and cons of central bank digital currencies
An official of the European Central Bank (ECB) stressed the benefits of central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) while warning to take caution in a speech published by the Bank of International Settlements (BIS) on Mon…
· People